I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of wild animal feed dispensing devices and, more particularly, to a device which will attract wild animals such as squirrels, and will provide squirrels with a safe place to feed and play. The device will further provide persons who are watching nearby with considerable enjoyment.
II. Description of the Related Art
There are many wild animal feeders on the market, all of which provide considerable enjoyment to individuals who can spend time observing the animals when they come to feed. By and large, these feeders relate to birds with very few wild animal feeders for other types of animals. In the field of bird feeders, however, persons who place the bird feeders at their homes typically do not want the feeders invaded by other animals. Squirrels, by their playful nature and voracious appetites, typically love to invade bird feeders for the food which these feeders provide. This type of invasion by the squirrels typically causes problems for the persons who have placed the feeders there for birds. There are numerous types of bird feeders which have anti-squirrel mechanisms which keep the squirrels away from the feeders.
There are known, in the prior art, certain feeders which are designed especially for squirrels. It is to these types of feeders to which the present invention pertains. It has been found that squirrel feeders which provide moving mechanisms will attract squirrels quite readily, because squirrels are quite intelligent and appear to love to play either alone or in conjunction with other squirrels. Since squirrels have an enormous ability for climbing, jumping and maintaining their balance upon moving objects, various prior art squirrel feeders typically use rotary and rocking motions.
Certain of the prior art squirrel feeders utilize fixed feeding stations where squirrels can climb and eat, but these feeders do not have any movement nor any motion to entice the squirrel. Typical of these types of feeders is the patent to Raymond Lush (U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,178) which shows a wild game feeder which is screwed into a suitable wood post or tree and has, at a distal end, a spike to which the user can screw a bulk food item such as an ear of corn. Obviously, there is no movement associated with this type of feeder. Other fixed type of feeders are similar to the patent to Leo Kadunce (U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,628) which shows a multi-tiered food container having a plurality of food distribution ports and trays so that a squirrel, or other type of animal, can climb to the food tray and receive food.
Entertaining and movable types of squirrel feeders are exemplified by the Jack E. Hubbard Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,062) which shows a movable feeder having a frame attached to a tree with a long rotating bar pivotally attached to the frame. At one end of the bar is a spike to which solid food, such as an ear of corn, may be attached. When the squirrel leaps upon the bar, the bar will tend to rotate due to the gravitational weight pull of the squirrel's body thereby providing amusement to persons watching. A similar type of device is shown in the Cryil N. Keller Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,522) which shows a ground engaging mechanism having an upright pole to which is pivotally attached a rotating bar having a counter weight at one end thereof, and a food fixing member at the other end. The squirrel, when alighting upon the rotating bar, will tend to rotate the bar and the food providing enjoyment for those watching.
Another type of rotating feeder is exemplified by the Robert R. Reynolds Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,736) showing a food container that will dispense food therefrom when the squirrel alights upon a rotatable spoked wheel which, when rotated, will tend to dispense food from the container into a trough, thereby rewarding the squirrel for its enthusiastic performance.